Written Answers Thursday 4 May 2006

Scottish Executive

Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was made available for capital expenditure to each of the airports in Scotland for each financial year since May 2001.

Tavish Scott: The only direct support to airports by the Scottish Executive is provided through Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) for the operation of airports in the Highlands and Islands. Capital expenditure provided by HIAL from 1 May 2001 until 31 March 2005 is set out in the following table.

  

 Airports (info as at 31 March)
 2001-02 
(excl. April 2001)
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 May 2001 to 
31 March 2005


 Barra
 34,973
 40,620
 -
 31,713
 107,306


 Benbecula
 2,022,555
 736,077
 899,407
 158,345
 3,816,384


 Campbeltown
 26,108
 42,444
 198,207
 71,638
 338,397


 Inverness
 190,191
 1,519,808
 494,628
 950,743
 3,155,370


 Islay
 352,106
 2,529,147
 602,867
 81,429
 3,565,549


 Kirkwall
 2,295,205
 1,592,609
 3,165,584
 1,475,679
 8,529,077


 Stornoway
 3,252,244
 1,077,884
 956,972
 61,998
 5,349,098


 Sumburgh
 371,740
 288,561
 40,027
 339,695
 1,040,023


 Tiree
 297,747
 91,159
 70,438
 25,000
 484,344


 Wick
 135,305
 1,204,775
 665,313
 894,088
 2,899,481


 HIAL Head Office
 194,958
 103,601
 97,470
 104,781
 500,810


 HIAL Board
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Totals May 2001 to 31 March 2005
 9,173,132
 9,226,685
 7,190,913
 4,195,109
 29,785,839



  In addition, the Executive provides support for an element of new capital investment each year by local authorities which might include investment by them in airports by way of loan charges support/supported borrowing. This is not broken down by airport although Dundee City Council was granted additional loan charges support for Dundee Airport as follows:

  2003-04: £640,000

  2004-05: £682,000

  2005-06: £722,000

  2006-07: £760,000.

  The Scottish Executive has also funded the following projects through the 2000-06 European Regional Development Fund programme:

  Inverness Airport Access Road - approved grant £1,042,000 (payments to date £453,683);

  Sumburgh Airport Extension to runway 09/27 - approved grant £2,500,000 (payments to date £1,600,000);

  Argyll Islands Air Services - approved grant £2,900,000 (no payments made to date). This project will develop the airports at Oban, Coll and Colonsay, and

  Airports Development Programme – approved grant £2,560,473 for development of Stornoway and Kirkwall Airports project fully committed.

  Expenditure on these projects span the funding period for European Structural funds 2000-06 and are not therefore broken down into financial years.

Asylum Seekers

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what child care support provision exists for asylum seeker and refugee families who require access to treatment for mental health problems.

Lewis Macdonald: The care agencies in each area will consider how best to meet the child care needs in all cases where the parents require to access mental health or other care.

  The agencies are required to comply with all relevant safeguards and standards.

Asylum Seekers

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees living in Scotland are receiving treatment for mental health problems, broken down by NHS board area, and what the equivalent figures were for each year since 2000.

Lewis Macdonald: The data requested is not held centrally.

  Refugees and asylum seekers have unhindered access to mental health services and support in their locality. An Asylum Seekers/Refugees Health Network has been set up by the the National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health to provide advice to all care agencies supporting Asylum Seekers and Refugees with mental health problems.

  In Glasgow, where the largest numbers of asylum seekers and refugees are resident, "The Compass Team" for mental health services acts as an operational support, and is also involved in mental health training.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the seminar for "front-line" professionals in autism held at Airth Castle on 28 February 2006, including the list of attendees, agenda, minutes and papers associated with the event.

Lewis Macdonald: Copies of papers from the Autism Spectrum Disorders Information Event held at Airth Castle have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39504).

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24316 by Lewis Macdonald on 15 March 2006 indicating that only one research project has been funded by the Medical Research Council into a link between MMR and autism and in light of the statement in the report of that study that "we were not able to separately identify the sub-group of cases with regressive symptoms (so as) to investigate the hypothesis that only some children are vulnerable to MMR-induced disease and that this is always (in those cases) regressive", suggesting that the study had not investigated the hypothesis of an MMR/autism link, what urgent action will be pursued by the Executive to ensure that this matter is comprehensively investigated.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-25366 answered on 3 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

Careers Scotland

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects agreement to be reached in the on-going negotiations between Scottish Enterprise and trade unions in respect of the pay dispute at Careers Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: I understand that a revised formal offer was made to the trade unions on 15 December 2005. Following a ballot process the offer has been accepted by members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS). However, the majority of Unison members formally rejected the proposal on 23 February 2006. Further discussions with Unison are currently taking place.

  Under the delegated pay arrangements it is for Scottish Enterprise, as the employer, to conduct its own pay negotiations with staff. I will continue to encourage Scottish Enterprise and the unions to negotiate with a view to reaching a settlement.

Careers Scotland

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had in respect of the possibility of Careers Scotland becoming part of Learn Direct Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: On 30 March, I announced in Parliament that Careers Scotland will be moving out of Scottish Enterprise. I intend, over the coming months, to seek the views of all interested parties, including Careers Scotland staff, users of Careers Scotland’s services, the education and training community, local authorities, trade unions and others, on how the services delivered by Careers Scotland can most effectively be delivered.

Careers Scotland

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it offers to the British armed forces in respect of recruitment in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: Careers Scotland offer a number of services and products to the armed forces in Scotland. These include: higher education conventions; job fairs and recruitment events; Make it in Scotland; and signposting through the Careers Scotland website and careers advisors.

Careers Scotland

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many recruits joined the British armed forces at events or recruitment visits organised in conjunction with Careers Scotland in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Details about the number of recruits that joined the British armed forces at recruitment events or visits is an operational matter for Careers Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.

Careers Scotland

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated by Careers Scotland for recruitment events organised in conjunction with the British armed forces in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Details about funding for specific events or activities is an operational matter for Careers Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.

Careers Scotland

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the statement by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 30 March 2006 that Scottish Enterprise will continue to invest over £500 million per year in Scotland’s economic future ( Official Report c. 24609) means that Scottish Enterprise will continue to have a budget of £500 million per annum following the removal of Careers Scotland from Scottish Enterprise.

Nicol Stephen: When Careers Scotland transfers out of Scottish Enterprise the budget for Scottish Enterprise will be adjusted accordingly.

Careers Scotland

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative options were considered prior to the decision to bring Careers Scotland within the remit of Scottish Enterprise and what the reasons were for rejecting such options.

Nicol Stephen: We published our response to the Careers Service review on the 11 January 2001. This set out a range of options and highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of each. These included:

  Network independent companies with a national partnership body.

  Return of careers service to local authorities.

  Create a new Executive Agency.

  Create a new non-departmental public body/Quango.

  Merge with an existing agency.

  Align with an existing agency.

  This report is available online via the Scottish Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/employment/csr_response.pdf.

Charities

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what grant assistance is available to religious and charitable organisations that wish to better insulate their properties in order to improve the energy efficiency of buildings which are regularly used by local communities.

Nicol Stephen: Community groups, including religious and charitable organisations, who are in receipt of a grant from the Scottish Community and Householders Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) can also receive funding from the SCHRI Energy Efficiency Fund.

Children

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a child population register, as proposed by the Citizen Information Project within the Office of National Statistics, and to what extent devolved public services would be involved in the operation of such a register or access its contents.

Mr Tom McCabe: I understand that the Department for Education and Skills has accepted the recommendation from the Citizen Information Project to consider whether there is scope for a child population register and is currently considering the position. No decision has yet been taken to establish such a register.

  We have no plans for a children’s index as has been legislated for in England under the Children Act 2004. Rather than hosting a single, central database with basic information on all children, our approach is that information is shared between authenticated practitioners on a need to know basis, via the eCare Framework.

Defence

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of manufacturing industry and employment in Scotland is dependent on the (a) military and (b) arms industry, broken down by geographical area, and what action the Executive is taking to reduce such dependency.

Nicol Stephen: There are no figures currently available that show the proportion of manufacturing industry and employment dependent on the military or the arms industry by geographical area.

Dental Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address tooth decay in young children.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has put in place a range of measures to address tooth decay in young children through An Action Plan for improving oral health and modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland launched in March 2005.

  Initiatives include: the distribution of preventive dental packs to every child under 12 months, to infants aged one to three years in areas of deprivation and to every child starting nursery and primary school, and a programme of daily toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste in nurseries and targeted primary schools.

  We also support a range of healthy eating and healthy drinks initiatives targeted at children and parents.

  These measures are further complemented by two national demonstration programmes in the East and West of Scotland, which provide more intensive support for children at highest risk of dental decay.

Dental Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address tooth decay among primary schoolchildren in Glasgow, in light of recent statistics indicating that Glasgow children have the second highest rate of tooth decay in Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: A range of preventive programmes are in place to address tooth decay among primary school children in Glasgow, including tooth brushing in nursery and primary schools and the distribution of preventive packs to children on starting school.

  Dental programmes are linked to health promoting programmes such as Hungry for Success, Health Promoting Schools and pre-school promotion of healthy foods and drinks.

Dental Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has published research showing the key factors responsible for the high incidence of tooth decay in primary schoolchildren.

Lewis Macdonald: Towards Better Oral Health in Children , a consultation published by the Scottish Executive in September 2002, set out the main determinants of oral health of children in Scotland. The consultation identified the main cause of dental decay as the high sugar diet consumed by Scottish children. It also sought views on how to enhance preventive treatments, the promotion and practice of healthy eating and ways of using fluoride.

Dental Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to fluoride in the water system are being considered to help prevent tooth decay in young children.

Lewis Macdonald: The Action Plan for improving oral health and modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland was published in March 2005. This document outlined the main preventive actions towards improving oral health of children in Scotland, including diet, oral care and toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste.

Economy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much business investment there has been in each of the last 10 years.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21965 on 3 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Economy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the net change in the number of self-employed people has been in each year since 1997.

Nicol Stephen: Estimates for the number of people in self-employment each year are available from the Labour Force Survey. Table 1 gives estimates of the number of self-employed people in each year together with the change in the estimate from the previous year.

  The estimates are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to some sampling error. The changes in the estimates shown are not statistically significant when sampling error is taken into account.

  Table 1: Number of Self-Employed People, Scotland, 1997 to 2005

  

 Quarter
 Level
ChangeYear-on-Year


 Spring 1997
 239,000
 


 Spring 1998
 238,000
 -1,000


 Spring 1999
 224,000
 -14,000


 Spring 2000
 217,000
 -7,000


 Spring 2001
 230,000
 13,000


 Spring 2002
 230,000
 0


 Spring 2003
 242,000
 12,000


 Spring 2004
 244,000
 2,000


 Spring 2005
 232,000
 -12,000



  Source: Labour Force Survey (March-May quarters).

  Notes:

  1. Estimates are of the number of people aged 16 or over in self-employment.

  2. Estimates are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Economy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £50 million that the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget for micro-generation technologies will be allocated to Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the budget £50 million in additional funding for the Department of Trade and Industry’s Low Carbon Building Programme. This is a UK wide programme which was launched on 29 March 2006. The Executive is working with DTI to develop a plan for how the scheme would operate in Scotland.

Economy

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses were started in Scotland in each year from 1999 to 2005.

Nicol Stephen: Data on the number of VAT registrations are released annually by the Small Business Service, an agency of the Department for Trade and Industry. These figures are used to monitor the number of business start-ups.

  The following table shows the number of VAT registrations in Scotland from 1999 to 2004:

  

 Year
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Registrations
 11,500
 11,305
 10,950
 11,080
 11,790
 11,845



  Source: Small Business Service, DTI.

  Please note that these figures do not account for all Scottish business starts as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.

Education

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is provided to teachers on anti-bullying strategies for schools.

Peter Peacock: The training of teachers in schools is delivered through continuing professional development programmes developed by education authorities in light of local priorities and circumstances, and utilising, where necessary, training provided through the Anti-Bullying Network funded by the Scottish Executive.

  The Executive’s Regional Communication Team for Better Behaviour – Better Learning is working in partnership with education authorities to provide local training in promoting positive behaviour using strategies which support anti-bullying approaches, such as restorative practices and Being Cool in School.

Education

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether changes to the curriculum of teacher training courses will include training on how to deal with bullying and its impact on children with special needs.

Peter Peacock: In response to the 2nd stage review of initial teacher education (ITE) I challenged ITE providers and the General Teaching Council to ensure that classroom management and awareness of additional support needs receive higher priority in ITE courses. Changes are already being made. Specifically, additional attention has been given to the importance of classroom management (including bullying and anti-social behaviour) and the impact these have on pupils with additional support needs.

  For example, within the PGDE (Primary and Secondary) courses offered at the University of Glasgow, these issues are dealt with in generic terms in the professional studies element of the courses and in subject specific terms in the curricular studies elements. Students also benefit from the guidance of professional colleagues while on school experience placements.

Enterprise

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the main functions of Business Gateways and whether, as part of these functions, they will be encouraged towards risk-taking in supporting business start-ups and growth.

Nicol Stephen: Business Gateway offers assistance to individuals interested in starting their own business.

  Appropriate risk taking and the creation of a more entrepreneurial culture in Scotland should be central to the work of Business Gateway.

Enterprise

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what action Scottish Enterprise will take to promote rural areas if its focus moves to promoting metropolitan areas.

Nicol Stephen: Our economic development strategies recognise cities as the drivers of wider metropolitan regions and the complementary roles of cities and their surrounding areas. They also recognise the particular opportunities and needs of our rural areas.

  Scottish Enterprise’s planned network rural strategy will enhance the existing work of its rural group in seeking to promote economic development in rural areas.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the reviews of local economic forums and of Scottish Enterprise are properly co-ordinated.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is not reviewing the existence of Local Economic Forums (LEFs). However, officials have held, and will continue to hold, discussions with those involved in LEFs to identify how the Executive and forum members can ensure that LEFs make an effective contribution to economic development.

  These discussions will take into account proposals for Scottish Enterprise’s future structure as referred to in my statement to Parliament on 30 March 2006.

Enterprise

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits will accrue to the non-urban parts of the proposed city regions as Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise reduce the numbers of local enterprise companies (LECs) in their portfolios.

Nicol Stephen: The number of LECs in the Scottish Enterprise area will remain unchanged and there has been a reduction of one LEC in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area. This change made by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) reflects more accurately patterns of economic development in the HIE area and will thus improve ability to respond to opportunities in and needs of both urban and rural areas.

Environment

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the transition period for the charge regime under the Controlled Activities Regulations has been extended.

Rhona Brankin: The Water Environment Charging Scheme, which came into full effect on 1 April 2006, provides for a reduced level of application fees for those on-going activities, such as abstractions and impoundments, which were commenced prior to that date.

  During the consultation on the proposed charges, it became clear that some existing operators had experienced difficulties in applying by the specified deadline. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency decided, with our agreement, to extend the period for reduced fees for these activities, until September 2006, to facilitate the introduction of the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 and encourage operators to comply with their legal obligations.

Further and Higher Education

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the close scrutiny to be applied to spending on further and higher education will extend to all spending on those areas since 1999, in light of the Deputy First Minister’s support for amendment S2M-4163.2 on 23 March 2006 ( Official Report , c. 24289).

Nicol Stephen: The continuous monitoring of the benefits and returns that arise from our investment in post-compulsory education, undertaken by the Executive, the Scottish Funding Councils and, more recently, Futureskills Scotland, stretches back to 1999 and is an on-going activity to ensure effectiveness and transparency.

Further and Higher Education

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will use to benchmark the effectiveness of spending on further and higher education in terms of growth, jobs and incomes, in light of the Deputy First Minister’s support for amendment S2M-4163.2 on 23 March 2006 ( Official Report , c. 24289).

Nicol Stephen: The Executive uses a range of measures to examine the benefits and returns that arise from our investment in post-compulsory education. This includes continuous monitoring of the further and higher education graduate labour markets, including earnings and wage premiums, and employment and destinations. In addition to work undertaken within the Executive, Futureskills Scotland regularly conducts further research and analysis that benchmarks aspects of Scotland’s labour quality, post-compulsory education output and labour market performance over time and against other nations and regions. This aims to provide employers, learning providers and policymakers with intelligence on the labour market, and on education and skills.

  The Scottish Funding Council also has a number of performance indicators that benchmark and monitor the investment made in tertiary education, and will develop a number of further performance measures as part of the process of developing its new strategy and corporate plan. Ministers have asked the council produce a draft of the plan by summer 2006.

Further and Higher Education

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how frequently it will publish details of performance against the benchmarks it sets in respect of the effectiveness of spending on further and higher education in terms of growth, jobs and incomes, in light of the Deputy First Minister’s support for amendment S2M-4163.2 on 23 March 2006 ( Official Report , c. 24289).

Nicol Stephen: The Executive constantly examine the benefits and returns that arise from our investment in post-compulsory education with continuous monitoring of the further and higher education graduate labour markets, including earnings and returns to skills, and employment and destinations.

  In addition to work undertaken within the Executive, Futureskills Scotland regularly conducts further research and analysis that benchmarks aspects of Scotland’s labour quality, post-compulsory education output and labour market performance over time and against other nations and regions. The Scottish Funding Council also has a number of performance indicators and benchmarks that monitor the investment made in tertiary education and will develop further performance measures as part of the process of developing its new strategy and corporate plan. Ministers have asked the council to produce a draft of the plan by summer 2006.

  This continuous monitoring is published both regularly through, for example, statistical releases, and on an irregular basis when more in-depth analysis is undertaken. Both can be seen in a wide range of publications, and through a number of different channels, from, for example, the Executive, Futureskills Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

Further and Higher Education

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will first publish details of performance against the benchmarks it sets in respect of the effectiveness of spending on further and higher education in terms of growth, jobs and incomes, in light of the Deputy First Minister’s support for amendment S2M-4163.2 on 23 March 2006 ( Official Report , c. 24289).

Nicol Stephen: The benefits and returns that arise from our investment in post-compulsory education are continuously monitored and published. Both regular and ad hoc specific analysis is undertaken by the Executive, the Scottish Funding Council and more recently, by Futureskills Scotland. This analysis seeks to scrutinise the investment made in post-compulsory education and to identify the effects of such investment on employers, learners, learning providers and the overall economy.

  In addition to this on-going analysis, ministers have asked the Funding Council to develop a new strategy and corporate plan setting out how it will address ministerial priorities. As part of this process, the council will be developing performance measures to monitor the investment made in tertiary education. The council has been asked to produce a draft of the plan by summer 2006.

Health

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the guidance, recently issued by the Scottish Medicines Consortium, in relation to the use of temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has made a careful appraisal of the evidence provided by the manufacturer and has not recommended Temozolomide (Temodal®) for use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme in combination with radiotherapy and subsequently as monotherapy.

  Health professionals are expected to take due account of this recommendation when exercising their clinical judgement. This recommendation does not, however, override their individual responsibility to make appropriate decisions on treatment in individual cases, in consultation with their patient.

  Further advice is expected from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will advise on how this should be applied in Scotland.

Health

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in providing treatment for people with age-related macular degeneration.

Lewis Macdonald: At present the key treatment is photo-dynamic therapy, which has been approved by NICE and subsequently endorsed by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Health boards are committed to providing this therapy, where clinical need can be demonstrated.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder have been discharged from hospital in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board and deprivation quintile.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, discharged from hospital in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board and deprivation quintile is in a table lodged in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39444).

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The exact number of people newly diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Scotland is not available centrally.

  However, national estimates of the numbers of people consulting for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder since 1999 are given in the table, based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general medical practices participating in Practice Team Information (PTI).

  Estimated Annual Number of Patients with a First GP Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

  

 Calendar Year
 Estimated Number of First GP Diagnoses


 1999 
 34,200


 2000 
 34,000


 2001 
 32,300


 2002 
 28,400


 2003 
 28,400



  Source: ISD. PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population is broadly nationally representative of the Scottish population in terms of age, sex, deprivation category and rural/urban mix.

Identity Cards

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19893 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 November 2005, what steps it has taken to ensure that civil servants, especially those working in geographic information services, are made aware of the Executive’s position that the citizen entitlement card will not be linked to any national identity register or similar database.

Mr Tom McCabe: I can confirm that civil servants in the geographic information services are fully aware of the position that the Executive has no plans to link the citizen entitlement card to any national identity register or similar database as confirmed in my stated answer to S2W-19893.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Identity Cards

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether citizen entitlement cards will be linked with address-based data in any central government data initiatives.

Mr Tom McCabe: I can confirm the Scottish Executive has no plans to link the citizen entitlement cards with address-based data in any central (UK) government data initiatives.

  In relation to Scotland, the citizen entitlement card is connected to address based data to facilitate card management. This is an essential part of any card management system and no different to existing systems.

Justice

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reducing the number of women in prison.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is committed to ensuring that alternatives to custody are in place, and that where woman do end up in prison, effective work is done to minimise the likelihood of re-offending.

  I am pleased to say that the evaluation of the innovative 218 centre in Glasgow which was published last week supported a new approach developed here in Scotland. The 218 centre brings together in one place a range of interventions targeting the specific offending needs of women. We now are looking to see how the lessons from the 218 centre can be applied more widely.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the current position with regard to the release of foreign prisoners from Scottish prisons and the deportation of such prisoners.

Cathy Jamieson: The Home Secretary announced on 26 April 2006 that 1,023 prisoners who should have been considered for deportation at the end of their sentence were instead released into the community. The announcement did not indicate whether these were UK figures or figures only for England and Wales. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has sought clarification from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) regarding how many of these individuals, if any at all, were released from Scottish prisons.

  The number of "foreign nationals" held in Scotland’s prisons, is on a pro rata basis, significantly smaller than those held in prisons in England and Wales. In Scotland the figure is just over 1% of the prison population. In the past 12 months, 188 individuals identified as "foreign nationals" have been released from a custodial sentence. Of those, 26 were released into the custody of IND. Of the remainder, only 15 were serving sentences of more than one year.

  Where criminal proceedings are initiated against a foreign national, the prosecutor will serve a notice that the individual shall be considered for deportation by the court provided they are at least 17 years of age and the offence is punishable by imprisonment. On conviction this notice will be brought to the attention of the court before sentence is passed. The decision of the court is then communicated to the IND by the Scottish Court Service. Following this notification should the IND wish to consider an individual for deportation at the end of their sentence, they will inform the SPS of this. The SPS will then contact the IND when the individual nears the end of their sentence. As of 4 May, there are 90 individuals identified as "foreign nationals" in SPS custody. The SPS has sent a list of these individuals to the immigration service.

  Last week, ACPO indicated that one individual who has been identified by the Home Office amongst the list of the 79 most serious cases was believed to be resident in Scotland. As the First Minister made clear last week, Scottish police forces stood ready to assist the Home Office with any requests they made to track down individuals in this category. At the request of the Home Office, Scottish police forces worked with the IND to identify the whereabouts of this individual. Following a joint operation by Grampian Police and the IND, this individual is now in custody.

  The SPS has reviewed its processes to ensure that they are as robust as possible and will shortly meet with the IND and Scottish Court Service to take any steps necessary in light of the recent announcements made by the Home Secretary.

Local Government

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24055 by George Lyon on 22 March 2006, whether it expects to make any changes to the provision in the local government settlement for 2007-08 for the compilation and maintenance of the electoral register if the UK Electoral Administration Bill is enacted.

George Lyon: It is expected that additional provision will be made for 2007-08 but the details have yet to be established and these are the subject of current discussions.

Meat Industry

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about having the country of origin on Scottish meat labels identified as Scotland rather than the United Kingdom.

Ross Finnie: None. While the EU Beef Labelling Regulations require country of origin information for beef and veal at member state level, processors and retailers may, through the associated voluntary scheme, use the description "Scottish" (or "Product of Scotland") provided that the cattle have been born, reared and slaughtered in Scotland. For other meats, the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended) require that labels show place of origin or provenance where this is necessary to avoid misleading the customer.

Mental Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs have been issued for under-18-year-olds in the last 12 months, broken down by (a) Prozac and (b) other anti-depressants.

Lewis Macdonald: At present, the prescription data collected centrally do not relate to the number or age of patients receiving treatment. In order to provide patient-specific information, such as age, it will be necessary to identify the patient. The standard health identifier for patients in Scotland is the Community Health Index (CHI) number. Work is currently underway in NHS National Services Scotland to capture patient information (including age) from computer-generated prescriptions using the CHI number. The results of this work are expected to become available towards the end of this year.

Ministerial Meetings

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23764 by Ross Finnie on 31 March 2006, whether it would expect the diaries of Ministers and Deputy Ministers to record the dates of meetings held by the ministers, with whom meetings were held and the purpose of each meeting.

Margaret Curran: Ministerial diaries normally record the date, time and location of official meetings. However, diary management processes can differ in each of the 20 ministerial private offices and the names of individual attendees at a meeting are not always recorded. Similarly, the purpose of the meeting is sometimes recorded but not in every case. This will vary according to the particular circumstances of the meeting and how much information a particular ministerial private office requires to record in order to conduct its business effectively and efficiently.

National Parks

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received SNH Advice on Coastal and Marine National Parks on 30 March 2006 and, if not, on what date the advice was received.

Ross Finnie: SNH’s advice was sent to ministers on the evening of Thursday 30 March and posted on SNH’s website following the Scottish Executive news release on 31 March.

Rail Network

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to ensuring that an accessible footbridge is built at Lockerbie Station; whether it accepts that the money it granted to Dumfries and Galloway Council to support the project is now considered to be inadequate and, if so, whether it will either (a) increase funding for the project or (b) lobby the UK Department for Transport for extra funding from the Access for All Fund, and when it expects an accessible footbridge to be in use at Lockerbie Station.

Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland, The Scottish Executive, Network Rail and Dumfries and Galloway Council are considering the delivery of a fully accessible footbridge at Lockerbie Station. We have been in discussions with all parties to fully appraise the construction details and costs involved and once discussions are concluded we will be in a position to advise on the way forward including funding options.

Rail Network

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-23179 by Tavish Scott on 10 March 2006, whether it anticipates that Network Rail’s new infrastructure investment plans will impact on the completion date for the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Tavish Scott: The proposals for the Aberdeen Crossrail scheme are still at feasibility stage. The decision on implementation and delivery of this scheme will be dependant firstly on successful completion of STAG2 and then subject to the outcome of the Strategic Projects Review and future Spending Reviews.

  The Network Rail fund is for performance enhancements to the existing network and not intended for new major projects.

Renewable Energy

Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what economic initiatives it will implement to help the biofuel industry, with particular reference to crop production.

Tavish Scott: We are considering the most appropriate support mechanisms for the whole biomass sector, including the biofuel industry, as part of the development of a Scottish Biomass Action Plan, which we are committed to developing by the end of 2006, as set out in our recently published Climate Change Programme, Changing Our Ways.

Roads

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what trunk road upgrades or improvement schemes it is (a) committed to and (b) considering in the south of Scotland.

Tavish Scott: The schemes in the current trunk road programme are shown on the Transport Scotland Website at www.transportscotland.gov.uk .

  In addition, we are considering in the South of Scotland studies into A7 Selkirk Bypass and A737 Dalry Bypass, which will be assessed as part of the Strategic Project Review.

Roads

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether will ask the Health and Safety Executive to investigate and report on the circumstances surrounding the emergency road closure of Back O’Hill Road, Stirling, including whether the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations were correctly applied, specifically regulation 13 and regulation 15(3).

Tavish Scott: No. The Back O’Hill Road is a local road and therefore the statutory responsibility for its safety, maintenance and repair lies with Stirling Council as the local roads authority.

Scottish Civic Forum

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been, or will be, put in place to ensure that voluntary and community bodies are able to contribute to policy making and to fully consult local people on local or national issues following the ending of Scottish Civic Forum funding.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive already has effective arrangements in place for involving a wide range of bodies and individuals in our policy and decision-making processes. There is no need for us to make any new arrangements simply because we no longer fund the Scottish Civic Forum. However, I recognise that there is scope for us to improve the ways in which we engage with the public and so we are currently looking at how we can do this. I am particularly keen to reach out to people who do not traditionally participate, such as young people, people from deprived communities and people from ethnic minority communities.

Scottish Enterprise

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to clarify Scottish Enterprise’s financial situation.

Nicol Stephen: My statement to Parliament of 30 March 2006 on Scottish Enterprise covered the financial situation of that body and explained that detailed discussions with regard to Scottish Enterprise’s budget for 2006-07 are taking place and should be concluded soon.

Scottish Enterprise

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise remains committed to regeneration.

Nicol Stephen: The ministerial policy statement on regeneration, People and Place, emphasised the central role that the enterprise networks have in taking forward large-scale regeneration projects and supporting smaller community regeneration initiatives. I wrote to Sir John Ward following publication of the statement to emphasise the importance of Scottish Enterprise’s contribution to regeneration and to indicate that this should continue in the future.

  The Memorandum of Understanding that has been agreed between Scottish Enterprise and Communities Scotland has given further clarity on the central roles that these organisations will play in regeneration projects.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been budgeted to pay the consultancy fees of KPMG for its work on confirming Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive expect to pay KPMG approximately £60,000 for its work in relation to Scottish Enterprise’s overspend.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods are in place to measure the effectiveness of the performance of Scottish Enterprise and local enterprise companies beyond the assessment of best value.

Nicol Stephen: The enterprise networks design their activities to achieve progress against the outcome measures tracked in the annual Measuring Progress Towards a Smart , Successful Scotland  (SSS) reports published by the Scottish Executive. The resulting programmes and projects are set out in Operating Plans and these contain output measures relevant to each SSS priority. Performance is monitored throughout the year and reported on in the network’s annual reports. The networks are required to evaluate programmes and projects to assess their impact on economic performance, relating this to the outcome measures referred to above.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the methods that are in place to measure the effectiveness of the performance of Scottish Enterprise and local enterprise companies compare with performance measures used elsewhere.

Nicol Stephen: A recent Audit Scotland report examined performance measurement in Scottish Enterprise and as part of this compared methods with those of similar agencies. The report concluded that Scottish Enterprise’s approach is "well advanced".

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning became aware of a projected overspend in Scottish Enterprise’s budget for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: I was made aware of Scottish Enterprise’s likely budget overspend on 25 January 2006.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning took to monitor the progress of Scottish Enterprise in (a) achieving its stated objectives and (b) remaining within its agreed budget, prior to his becoming aware of a projected overspend in Scottish Enterprise’s budget for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive receives regular reports from Scottish Enterprise, following board discussion, on overall performance against objectives. Any matters of concern are raised with Scottish Enterprise. In addition, the Enterprise Department receives regular financial information and meets Scottish Enterprise to discuss, amongst other matters, actual and forecast spend. At the quarterly meeting in October 2005 Scottish Enterprise expected to keep within budget as reflected in reports to their board, and no indications to the contrary were given to the Executive until late January 2006.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since 1999 Scottish Enterprise has not had a final agreed budget in place prior to the commencement of the financial year to which that budget related.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive notifies Scottish Enterprise of its budget prior to the commencement of each financial year, as published in the annual Budget Bill. There are two occasions during each financial year when revisions to that budget may be proposed and approved by the Parliament.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much KPMG will be paid for its work to confirm Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: The value of the contract between the Scottish Executive and KPMG for its work in relation to Scottish Enterprise’s overspend is around £60,000.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when KPMG was first asked to undertake work to confirm Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: KPMG were invited to set out how they would meet the Executive’s terms of reference on 28 March 2006.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how KPMG was selected to undertake work to confirm Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06 and what alternatives were considered.

Nicol Stephen: The selection of KPMG was through a Scottish Executive framework agreement. The framework was established after an EU-compliant tendering exercise and its remit covers reviews of this nature.

  The Scottish Executive considered selecting other companies from the framework to undertake the review. However, KPMG was deemed to be the most capable of conducting an impartial review within the available timeframe.

Scottish Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when KPMG will report the findings of its work to confirm Scottish Enterprise’s projected resource spend for 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: KPMG submitted their final report on 24 April 2006 and this is available on the Scottish Executive’s website. However, a near final draft was made available on the Scottish Executive’s website on 21 April 2006.

Scottish Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the KPMG audit of Scottish Enterprise’s finances; when the audit was commissioned and by whom; whether the audit was subject to competitive tender; what its cost will be and from which budget it will be paid; what the timescale is for completion of the audit; whether the report will be made public, and which financial years the audit will cover.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive’s Procurement Directorate invited KPMG to tender for work on 28 March 2006. This was not subject to competitive tender. The work is not an audit, that being the responsibility of Audit Scotland. The cost is around £60,000 and will be met from the administration budget of the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department. The final report was made available on 24 April 2006.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the projects that have attracted Scottish Enterprise support in 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. A central list is not held by the Executive.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise’s statement that it will take 15 to 20 years before any material benefit of its current policy will become apparent, on what basis such a long-term delay in the achievement of positive results is justifiable.

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise is required to promote economic growth by pursuing the strategic direction set out by the Executive. This strategy involves short, medium and long-term objectives. While many programmes and projects will have an impact in the short-term, the cumulative impact of actions will become more apparent after a longer time period. However, there is a continuing process of performance measurement including evaluation of projects and programmes which may commence as soon as one year after inception but usually after a longer period.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise’s statement that it will take 15 to 20 years before any material benefit of its current policy will become apparent, what measures the Executive will take to enforce short-term accountability and accelerate the delivery of positive results.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24956 on 4 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to avoid a repetition of the recent overspend at Scottish Enterprise.

Nicol Stephen: I expect Scottish Enterprise to implement both the recommendations of its internal audit team and of KPMG. My department will seek evidence to demonstrate that these recommendations have been implemented and will also commission a report from independent external advisers.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to convey its concern about the overspend at Scottish Enterprise to avoid the situation recurring.

Nicol Stephen: I have expressed my concern directly to the Chair and Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise and have now written to the chair, formally requesting the implementation of the recommendations of the KPMG report

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what objectives were set for Sir John Ward in his role as Chairman of Scottish Enterprise.

Nicol Stephen: The requirements of the Chair of Scottish Enterprise were set out when the post was advertised and the key objectives are to:

  Ensure that Scottish Enterprise operates within the strategic framework set by Scottish ministers.

  Ensure that the Scottish Enterprise Board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of guidance provided by the Scottish Executive and Scottish ministers.

  Lead the determination of planning and resource allocation, oversee the implementation of board decisions by staff and achievement of operating plan targets.

  Agree performance targets for the Chief Executive and undertake performance assessments, providing advice to the board on annual performance pay.

  Represent Scottish Enterprise in dealings with Scottish ministers and the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money will be added to the sum of outstanding loans made by Scottish Enterprise in 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: Information on loans made by Scottish Enterprise is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of outstanding loans made by Scottish Enterprise was at end of 2005-06, both gross and net of write-offs.

Nicol Stephen: Information on loans made by Scottish Enterprise is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid to KPMG by Scottish Enterprise in 2005-06.

Nicol Stephen: Information on consultancy expenditure made by Scottish Enterprise is an operational matter for that body.

Scottish Funding Council

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Funding Council or its predecessor organisations have carried out any investigations since 1999 into complaints against any members of college boards of management without first advising those involved that complaints had been raised against them, the nature of the complaints or that they were being investigated and whether the findings of such investigations were published without interviewing, or offering to interview, the subjects of the complaints.

Nicol Stephen: The handling of complaints, including by its predecessor organisations, is an operational matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the chairman of the council to write to the member.

Scottish Funding Council

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) or its predecessor organisations have appointed since 1999 members of the SFC or these predecessor organisations who had any previous involvement with investigations into complaints against members of college boards to investigate subsequent complaints in respect of the way that the SFC or its predecessors had carried out the original investigations.

Nicol Stephen: The handling of complaints, including by its predecessor organisations, is an operational matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked the chairman of the council to write to the member.

Student Finance

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-22292 and S2W-22944 by Nicol Stephen on 13 January and 31 March 2006, whether it will explain the anomaly between these answers and clarify whether the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning or representatives of the Executive have met or had discussions with the Student Loans Company Ltd since 1999 regarding the interest payable on student loans and issues relating to students prevented from taking up employment due to disability, illness or medical conditions.

Nicol Stephen: There is no anomaly between the answers given to the previous questions. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Student Loans Company on a range of issues. While neither the Executive nor the minister met with the SLC on these specific issues, Scottish Executive officials did contact the SLC in November 2005 to discuss this, and also sought legal advice from solicitors.

  The advice provided was that the Government Regulations do not permit the freezing or cancelling of interest in any circumstances.

Student Finance

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have applied to have their loans deferred in each year since 1999 and what the monetary value has been of these deferrals.

Nicol Stephen: No. Deferring and Net Loan Balance at 31 March

  

 
 No. Deferring
 Monetary Value


 2002
 27,829
£88,926,480


 2003
 34,643
£120,879,274


 2004
 34,240
£126,375,446


 2005
 29,748
£113,803,725


 2006
 26,297
£102,921,872



  SLC only hold information on deferrals from August 2001. Therefore, we can only supply figures from 2002 onwards.

Student Finance

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected monetary value will be of deferrals in respect of student loans for each of the next 10 years.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive.

  The concept of deferrals only applies to mortgage style loans. As all borrowers have a different balance it is not possible to project an overall monetary value.

Student Finance

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deferral applications have been rejected by the Student Loans Company in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Year[1]
 Total Scottish Deferment Applications Rejected


 1998-99
 172


 1999-2000
 227


 2000-01
 345


 2001-02
 423


 2002-03
 832


 2003-04
 688


 2004-05
 974


 2005-06
 829

Student Finance

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds a deferral application in respect of a student loan can be rejected.

Nicol Stephen: If a customer who has a mortgage style loan applies to defer repayments and the evidence supplied in support of their application shows that they earn over the deferment income threshold then that application will be rejected.

Tartan Week

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits resulted from its participation in Tartan Week 2006.

Mr Tom McCabe: Tartan Week is now the biggest single programme of events promoting Scotland overseas. The United States is our most important market for business and tourism. The Executive’s participation in Tartan Week ties in with the objectives laid out in our International Strategy and in particular is focused on:

  building political ties

  attracting tourism to Scotland

  promoting economic growth

  cementing cultural ties.

  The programme of activity around this year’s Tartan Week was the broadest yet. It included a series of literary events involving some of Scotland’s best known authors and poets in both New York and Washington DC; a programme of sell out performances of "Geordie" by the Scottish Youth Theatre; a month long exhibition of Scottish paintings by the National Galleries of Scotland, and, a series of conversations put on by a collaboration of Scottish universities. The Scottish Run – a 10k race in Central Park – is becoming a favourite fixture in the New York athletic calendar. Over 6,300 runners participated in the race this year – up 25% on last year.

  The Scotland Village in Grand Central Station, which promoted Scotland as a place to visit, study, live and work attracted around 250,000 visitors during the week. For the first time we produced a comprehensive programme of Tartan Week activities for the New York public. This was well received. It also allowed us to generate a considerable amount of positive coverage for Scotland in the New York media.

  Advances were made this year in nurturing the important political links between Washington and Edinburgh. The First Minister and I and a delegation from the Scottish Parliament headed by the Presiding Officer attended events on Capitol Hill to mark the inauguration of the Congressional Friends of Scotland Caucus. The Caucus is a bi-partisan body that will serve as a new forum for deepening bilateral relationships between members of the House of Congress and politicians and government in Scotland.

  The First Minister undertook a busy programme of engagements with a strong business focus. He announced on Monday 3 April a world first collaboration between Wyeth Pharamaceuticals, four Scottish Universities and the NHS in Scotland on translational medicine. He also hosted a reception for senior business figures in New York. Separately he met privately with five major companies with investments in – or who are considering making investments in – Scotland. The First Minister also visited STRIVE, an employment project in Harlem whose unique model of employment rehabilitation is about to be launched in Scotland. He also visited a middle school in the Bronx with former Project Scotland volunteers to look at how they use video conferencing creatively. The former volunteers are interested in bringing that experience to Scotland. The First Minister attended Dressed to Kilt and gave a lecture at Princeton University on historical and contemporary links between Scotland and the USA.

  In addition to promotional events Tartan Week also offers an important platform for ministers to engage in a range of meetings and visits that tie in to our own domestic priorities. In Chicago I undertook a series of engagements around the areas of Urban Regeneration including a substantial discussion on this theme with Mayor Daley. I also had a very positive discussion with the Andrew Corporation regarding their facility in Lochgelly which will celebrate its 40th anniversary later this year. In Washington I was able to discuss the Scottish economy with an influential group of staff from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and the issue of "shared services" with the Federal administration.

  Scotland’s profile in the USA during Tartan Week also benefited from the participation of the cross-party Parliamentary delegation headed by the Presiding Officer. The other members of the delegation were Bill Aitken MSP, Scott Barrie MSP, Brian Monteith MSP, Jeremy Purvis MSP and Andrew Welsh MSP. The delegation carried out a busy programme in New York and Washington DC. That programme included a visit to the General Assembly of Maryland in Annapolis as well as an address by the Presiding Officer to the National Conference of State Legislatures in Washington. Members of the delegation also took on important engagements in Boston and Milwaukee. The delegation will produce a report on the visit and this will be published in due course.

  A full evaluation of Tartan Week 2006 has been commissioned. It will be published as soon as it is available.

Water Charges

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average household water charge is for (a) metered, (b) non-metered and (c) all households for 2006-07 and what information it has about how this compares with England and Wales.

Rhona Brankin: Scottish Water’s average household water and sewerage charge for 2006-07 is £287. The average household charge in England and Wales for 2006-07 is £294. The Executive does not hold the more detailed information sought.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of the criticisms expressed by the Auditor General in each of his three reports into the Holyrood project, what action it will take, or has considered taking, in relation to the findings of fault and, in particular, whether it has sought to take, or considered taking, any action in relation to the criticisms of the Chief Executive of the Parliament.

George Reid: The Corporate Body considered the reports of the Auditor General and in particular conclusions of the Audit Committee responded as appropriate at the time. It has no further comment to make.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether any possible court action or actions for recovery of sums due from contractors or others in respect of the Holyrood Project have become extinguished through the operation of prescription.

George Reid: The Corporate Body continues to take advice on relevant matters concerning closure of the Holyrood Project and is alive to consideration of such matters as prescription.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether, in any decision on whether to initiate court action against the construction managers arising from breaches of contract or delictual obligations in relation to the Holyrood Project, any individual who played a part in the selection of Bovis as construction manager will be involved in the making of such a decision or in the decision-making process and what the role of the Post-Completion Advisory Group is in relation to any legal claims, given that Dr John Gibbons is a member of the group.

George Reid: Decisions as regards the initiation or otherwise of court action are for the Corporate Body. The Post-Completion Advisory Group is not part of that decision-making process.